Naruto of the Nine-Tails
by raobuntu
Summary: Naruto grows up on grand tales of Konoha's greatest heroes, dreaming one day to be included among them. Thrown into a ruthless world, he soon finds that heroes aren't always heroes, and nothing is as it seems.
1. One

**Prologue: Decisions, Past and Future:**

Hiruzen sighed as he leaned back in his chair. The battle over, exhaustion had finally set in. It still didn't feel real. Minato gone, Biwako gone, he was lost. When he stepped down two years ago, he had looked forward to a long retirement. Give Minato some occasional advice, play with the grandchildren, read his student's works. He didn't particularly want to be Hokage again.

" _Being Hokage is more than being strong Saru,"_ Tobirama-Sensei used to say, " _Being Hokage means placing the village above all."_

* * *

 _Hiruzen saw the fox disappear. He burst into the clearing. Minato was on all fours, hovering over his son, his dead wife next to him. "Minato…" Hiruzen whispered._

 _Minato only had enough strength to turn his head. "Heh, looks like I have to bother you again Sandaime-dono."_

" _Your son. How - I mean, why?" he finished lamely._

 _Minato smiled, "It was a dangerous man behind the event. The village needs its jinchuriki in the coming times." He started coughing splattering blood over Naruto's face. He tenderly wiped him. "Look after me for him. Let him know that I had no choice, that I love him, and most of all, that I believe in him."_

* * *

Minato understood. He knew the hard life jinchuriki led. Yet, he still sealed the fox in his son. Naruto. This small, innocent boy was going to spend his entire life fighting, for survival, for the village, for himself. Some would see him as a monster, others a weapon. He wondered how many would see the boy inside.

The door creaked open, and a man shuffled inside. Shimura Danzo had seen better days. Arm and eye bound, each movement was an effort, or it seemed like one. Hiruzen could never quite tell with Danzo.

Danzo sank into his chair. "So this is the boy then?"

"It is."

There was no immediate response. Danzo chose his next words carefully, "What will you do with him?"

Hiruzen sighed. Truthfully, he had no idea. He desperately wanted Naruto to have free childhood. But, he needed to be prepared for his life ahead.

"His status remains a secret for now, " Hiruzen started, "and I intend to keep it that way for the foreseeable future."

"Good. " Danzo nodded firmly, "but his education?"

"He will be prepared for his duty, like his mother before him. He will learn his burden, and how to harness it," Hiruzen replied. "He has a long road ahead of him."

"The boy was born to be a shinobi Hiruzen. I have no doubt he will become an excellent one."

"He'll also spend his entire life looking over his shoulder! Watching for the next village or group who want his body, his chakra, his beast!" Hiruzen spat.

Danzo raised his remaining eyebrow at his outburst. He'd always been measured over the years. He didn't let success or failure change him. It made him an excellent commander, able to be objective unattached. Hiruzen disagreed with his philosophy, but didn't ignore his results. Whatever Danzo did, it worked and he didn't care how. That said, he was curious, "You don't want the boy for yourself Danzo?"

Danzo snorted, "I'm sure that's how I'm seen. The boogeyman stealing ninjas. That said, a jinchuriki is too important to risk on my training method. If you say you'll have him raised right, I believe you Hiruzen."

"Yes," Hiruzen muttered, "let's just hope I am."

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Enter, Naruto!**

Naruto woke at exactly five in the morning. He quietly slipped out of bed and made his way out behind the house. He started stretching, willing away the stiffness from sleep.

He liked his early morning excercises. As a child, the katas were difficult for his small body, requiring his total concentration. Combined with the early hour, he absolutely loathed the entire affair. Seven years later, they were muscle memory, and he spent the time in an almost-meditative trance. He did a lot of his best thinking this time of day.

Today was a special day. Late last night, the Old Man informed Naruto knew it could only mean one thing, he was finally getting a team! No more handlers, no more Pervy Sage. Real missions with real teammates. He rarely interacted with kids his age. He wasn't imprisoned, but it felt like it sometimes. His life had been constant training since he was six years old, and had little time for anything else. Naruto knew why, and even understood why, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

" _You carry a great burden Naruto, " the Sandaime said. He took a deep pull of his pipe, staring out into the village. "A jinchuriki's life is rarely easy. You are the village's shield, and its sword."_

" _B-but, I don't know if I can do that Old Man! I mean, I can barely wake up for training ya know?"_

 _The Sandaime smiled, "Your father had faith in you Naruto. That's why he sealed the Kyuubi in you. I share that faith." Seeing that Naruto wasn't really reassured, he sighed, "Naruto, the village asks a lot of you, but it will also support you. Konoha's strength comes from its men and women fighting for each other. While a ninja of Konoha, the village is your family, and support you as a family should. "_

At thirteen, Naruto was stronger than most ninja his age. But for all his strength, he had no idea how to work in a team, the most crucial aspect of being a Konoha shinobi. But he would learn, he swore it. He would find friends, precious people, to love and protect.

* * *

Hiruzen looked down at the file. Gaara of the Desert. Host of the Ichibi, and a crazed young boy if the reports were true. A crazed young boy that would be attending the Konoha chuunin exams. Villages rarely sent their jinchuriki for events as trivial as promotion exams. It reeked of deceit.

He had hoped to shield Naruto from the world longer, but he no longer had a choice. Short of a plant, he didn't have a genin that would be able to keep up with Gaara, considering his abilities. Naruto would be the only one that could face Gaara one on one, and win.

Koharu was the first to speak, "It's time then?"

Hiruzen sighed, "It looks like it. I had really hoped to wait longer -"

"Don't worry Hiruzen," Danzo interjected. "The boy is ready. His abilities were made for taking down those of Gaara's ilk."

Homura was the only one yet to speak. He sat back in his chair, pensive look on his face. "I think, " he spoke slowly, considering every word, "that the experience will be good for him regardless. Uzumaki is loyal to the idea of the village, not the village and its people." He stopped to take a sip of his tea, " Meeting those his age, developing bonds are crucial for him to truly love the village, the way we do."

"You're not worried about the danger? He's an impulsive boy" Koharu prompted.

Homura snorted, "As irritating as he can be, he's competent, and knows when to focus."

"Very well." Hiruzen stood up and tapped a seal on the corner of his desk. The door opened and a young woman walked in.

"You rang Hokage-sama?"

"Ah Kimiko, please send for Uzumaki Naruto. Let him know I'd like to see him in my office immediately."

* * *

Naruto took a deep breath and knocked twice on the door.

"Come in."

The Hokage sat behind his desk, hands clasped in front of him. Surrounding him in a semi-circle were his advisors. His former teammates, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, and the head of the ANBU Danzo Shimura. Naruto had met the man on several occasions, and was wary of him. There was no doubting Danzo's loyalty, or his interest in Naruto's safety, but Naruto always felt something off about him.

"Hokage-sama, honored elders, " Naruto greeted. This wasn't just him and the Old Man. With the full council, he had to watch his words. Offending one of them could cause him years of problems.

The Hokage spoke first, "I assume you know why you've been called here Naruto-kun."

"I have an idea, " Naruto responded. "Will I get a chance to join a team of genin Hokage-sama?"

"Yes," the Hokage confirmed, "but for a specific reason. Konoha will host the chuunin exam in two months. Genin from various minor villages, and the Sand are participating. We, we-" He cut himself off looking pained.

" _Hiruzen!_ Compose yourself!" Utatane-sama hissed.

"I'm sorry, " the Hokage resumed, "As I was saying, we will need you to be our plant."

Naruto was baffled, "Plant? I'm sorry I don't follow Hokage-sama,"

Seeing the Hokage wasn't speaking up, Utatane-sama elected to continue, "Suna has sent their jinchuriki. A crazed boy according to the reports; he slaughters indiscriminately." That left a sour taste in Naruto's mouth. Anyone chosen to host a tailed beast led a hard life. Hosts who resorted to abusing their power and killing gave them all a bad name.

Utatane-sama had seen his reaction and nodded approvingly. "You, Uzumaki-kun, are the only genin we have that can face him. You have a unique skillset, one that can directly counter him, in both forms."

Here Danzo interrupted. "There is a chance he may initiate a full transformation. How comfortable are you with the beast's chakra boy?"

Naruto grimaced, "Three tails, Danzo-sama."

Danzo wasn't impressed, "I expect you to be further after a lifetime's worth of training."

Naruto expected himself to be further. He had found his answer recently after going through the notes left behind. "Apparently Danzo-sama, anything beyond three or four tails will require me to tangle with the beast directly inside my mindscape. Neither Mito-sama or my mother ever progressed to this stage. At my current level, I do not feel ready to take that step."

Danzo didn't respond, only staring at him. "Failure would mean the Kyuubi being the dominant personality in my body," Naruto clarified. Danzo dismissed the matter, but Naruto could tell he hadn't fully let it go.

The Hokage finally spoke again, "Naruto-kun, it's an unsavoury mission we have for you. It won't be easy either. You will need to subdue Gaara, kill him if you must, seal him if you can't."

Naruto was surprised. _They're putting that much faith in me...I can't fail them now_. He gave a deep bow, "I won't fail you Hokage-sama!"

The Hokage gave a pained smile, "I know you won't Naruto-kun. You will be added to Team 7 consisting of Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura for the duration of the exams. The team leader is Kakashi." The Hokage took another deep breath, and gave another smile, one that reached his eyes. "I know how long you've been waiting to join a team. Enjoy this."

Naruto bowed and murmured his goodbyes. Walking out of the tower, his mind was working in overdrive. Frankly, it was a mission he didn't particularly like. He may have to kill this Sabaku no Gaara. The first time he killed, he was convinced he was the monster. It took Pervy Sage an hour to calm him down. His target was a real monster. Abusing the power like that… it bothered him deeply. Shaking his head he tried to focus on the positives - teammates! Yes, thinking about teammates and the bowl of Ichiraku's ramen he was about to have was much better. Resolved, he set off for the ramen stand, smiling all the way.

* * *

"Well, " Homura remarked, "he took it well."

"Indeed, " Koharu agreed, "it gives me hope." At Homura's questioning look, she clarified, "The fact that he can be serious when called for."

Hiruzen was apprehensive, they were risking a lot. He turned to his ANBU commander, "Danzo, I want a full squadron on him during the 2nd exam. Fair play or not, Naruto-kun is too valuable an asset."

Danzo nodded, "As you wish Hokage-sama."

It soothed his conscience that they weren't quite throwing Naruto into the fire.

Hiruzen turned around and faced the window. He heard the three leave, but he was too focused on beautiful view in front of him. Times like this reminded just who he was making the decisions for. _The village before all Hiruzen, the village before all_.


	2. Two

Naruto of the Nine-Tails Ch2

By

Patil-Triplet

 **A/N: Wow! Thanks for all those who read the first chapter and liked it. My goal is to be able to write a coherent Naruto story, using all the information Kishimoto gave us. I hope to update every Tuesday. Without further ado, here's Chapter 2.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - Teammates!**

Kakashi shuffled his way around the room. It was surprisingly normal. He remembered sensei's house - messy couldn't begin to describe it. Every surface covered in fuuinjutsu notes, dishes in the sink, equipment everywhere. Sensei and his wife were excellent ninjas, excellent people, but excellent housekeepers? Definitely not. To see that their son's living space to be so orderly was off-putting. "It's so… so _neat_ ", Kakashi finally said.

The Hokage laughed. "Oh yes. Any messiness Naruto-kun might have inherited, was dealt with very early by Haruka-san. All she had to do was tell him great ninjas kept a clean house. You should have seen his room the next day. Fortunately, the principle carried over once he received his own place."

 _Oh to be young and malleable again_. Sensei used to be able to convince Obito and Rin to do anything, if he told them it would make them better ninjas. Kakashi didn't really know what that was like. _Bakashi wasn't born, he was commissioned an adult, fun-sized!_ Okay, Obito was not really what he wanted to think about in his dead sensei's son's house. Like he wasn't guilty enough already.

Kakashi decided to get to the core of the matter, "Why exactly are we here Hokage-sama? I've hardly interacted with the boy before, why have me start now?"

"Because he's going to be on your team."

"What?"

The Hokage pulled out a chair, and sat at the table. "I've promoted Hiroki to chuunin. He's a competent ninja, and his actions in the wave merit the promotion. He'll be useful in the chuunin rotation. Naruto needs the experience from a genin team"

Kakashi was quite suspicious, things didn't add up. "He didn't need a genin team four months ago, why does he need one now." Not to mention he really needed Hiroki. He kept the other two brats in line.

"I see there's no fooling you," The Hokage sighed and continued again, "In two months, Konoha will once again host the chuunin exams. Your team will have to be nominated. Many from far and wide are interested the future Uchiha clan head." He rubbed his temples. "Suna has also decided to send it's Jinchuuriki. Sasuke-kun is a capable ninja, stronger than every genin his age. But, he cannot beat a jinchuuriki, not yet. And,"

"That's where Naruto comes in," Kakashi finished.

"Yes. Naruto's possesses a unique skill set, one that will be crucial to standing up to Gaara. He has the stamina to out last him, the knowledge to seal him, and if it comes to it, the mettle to kill him."

Kakashi didn't know what to think. What the Hokage was saying, sounded way too much like they were weaponizing Naruto. "He wasn't trained by Danzo was he?"

The Hokage looked at him. He felt like he was five again. It was the same look his father would give him if he had guessed his mission successfully. _You're too smart for your own good Kakashi_.

"No. He received a training similar to that of his mother."

Still, Kushina had attended the academy hadn't she? He still remembered the tales sensei told him. _Tomato, my ass_. "Why didn't he attend the academy, and receive the training anyways?"

The Hokage sighed again. He seemed to be doing a lot of that recently, "Naruto's seal with his heritage has gifted him with extraordinarily large reserves. The academy would only hamper him. Additionally, if a student ever found out his secrets, blabbed to a parent… no, it was best he was trained privately, and added to a genin team when appropriate."

"His secrets?"

"He knows who his father is. His mother too, but that's not nearly as important." Ah. If he knew his father, then he probably knew him. Well that would be awkward. The Hokage guessed what he was thinking, _how the hell does he do that anyway,_ because his eyes softened. "He doesn't hold a grudge Kakashi. That boy had an extraordinary capacity for forgiveness. Use this opportunity to get to know him, " he said softly.

Get to know him? And say what? _Hey, so your father was like a second dad, supported me, let me live with him, and after I died I never really checked up on his son, like ever, and I'm really sorry?_

Team probably in disarray, a walking representation of his guilt, and a chunin exam with a crazy jinchuuriki. How _troublesome_.

* * *

Sakura dragged her feet towards the familiar wooden bridge. She was late, but didn't particularly care. Another day, another stupid mission. When she and Sasuke were assigned to a team, she was ecstatic. She was ready to show Ino-pig the power of true love. She saw it in her head. Her and Sasuke training, her and Sasuke completing missions, and one day, her and Sasuke together. Of course, one month in, that dream was just that, a dream. Sasuke was cold, surly, and short-tempered, her sensei was a flaky man, whose sole goal was to irritate her as much as possible, her third teammate just bearable. Where was the lifelong bond that all the jounin talked about?

Bridge finally in sight, she choked on her own spit. "K-kakashi-sensei?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

For the first time, well ever, Kakashi was at the meeting point before they were. He wasn't alone either. Standing next to him was a blond boy around their height. He wore an orange vest over a navy shirt and pants.

Kakashi only smiled, "You really should be on time to these meetings Sakura."

On time, on time, I'll show him on ti-

"Kakashi?!" Sasuke was lying on the ground, having walked into a pole.

Of course, Kakashi's smile grew. Wait, how the hell do I even know that? "Man Kakashi-sensei, you're never on time huh?" the blonde piped up.

"I prefer to think of time as a transient idea Naruto. On time, late, who are we to say what's what?" Kakashi shrugged, "I let time take me where it takes me. Therefore, in my mind, I'm always on time!"

 _Yeah...that's bullshit._ Looking at Sasuke-kun and the blonde kid, they were probably thinking the same thing. "Anyways, sensei," Sakura asked, "who's that? And where's Hiroki-kun?"

"Introduce yourself, Naruto, likes, dislikes, your dream."

The blonde kid stepped up. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meetcha! I love ramen, don't really hate anything. My dream, is to make the Uzumaki clan known once again through out the elemental nations!"

 _Known again? Could this kid have a super-special clan like Sasuke-kun?_

"Hiroki has been promoted due to his actions in Wave." Sakura saw Sasuke clench a fist. Whatever had happened inside ice pyramid, it'd taken it's toll on Sasuke-kun. "Naruto has been added to fill that gap. So, why don't we all hold a quick spar, just to see where everyone is?"

* * *

Sasuke's fingers were trembling as he made his way to the training ground. He wasn't fooled by the goofy smile and the bright clothes. That blonde boy was _good_. He could see it, the way he held himself, the way his eyes constantly scanned his surroundings.

"Ah." Kakashi interrupted his thoughts, "we're here. I thought, that we'd do a little round robin spar. See what level everyone's at hmm? So why don't Naruto and Sakura start us off." He looked at the three of them. Sakura tentatively nodded, and the blonde started stretching. Given the signal from Kakashi, they stepped into the open area near the posts.

"Go!" Kakashi swept his hand down signaling the start of the spar.

There was a cloud of dirt, a blur of orange. Saukra lay on her back, gasping for air. Naruto stood in front of her, grim-faced, holding a kunai to her throat. "Do you yield?" he asked.

"Y-yes," Sakura wheezed. She took the offered hand, and skittered away, back to Kakashi's side, eyes wide.

"Sorry about that Sakura-chan!" Naruto offered with a grin. "You were just too wide open not to take that shot, ya know?" Sakura, who at this point had hidden herself behind Kakashi, could only wide.

Naruto's grin faltered. Kakashi sighed, "Let's tone it down a bit hmm Naruto. Your teammates haven't received the same instruction you have."

 _Instruction?_ That piqued Sasuke's interest. What was so special about this kid that he'd get instruction. He couldn't wait to test his limits. Another measuring stick. Kakashi looked him over and just just gave him a wave.

Hands in his pockets he slouched over, out in front of Naruto. He gave him a look over. "Pinkie may have gone down easy, blondie, but I'm not like her," he drawled.

"I have a name ya know," Naruto grumbled.

Sasuke knew, but Naruto didn't need to know that. "Is it worth knowing? I know the pink menace's isn't," he replied dismissively. Somewhere he heard Sakura whimper. Sure enough, Naruto's eyes tightened. Good. He wanted his full strength.

"Well," Kakashi said looking between the two of them, "you two are clearly itching to go." Seeing the glares he got, he hastily added, "So… start?"

Sasuke immediately fell into a defensive position, sharingan flaring to life. Eyes spinning, he waited for Naruto to try and overwhelm him with speed. Naruto did start, but much slower than he did against Sakura. He held up a cross-shaped seal, and two more Naruto's on either side. _Bunshin? Does he think he can fool me-_ the first clone's fist came flying into his face.

 _The hell?_ Gritting his teeth, he righted himself, but Naruto was already there, high in the air, flipping through handsigns - _bird, that's wind!_ He launched a brace of shuriken, but the two solid Naruto's blocked the blond. _Those solid clones are fucking annoying!_ Fire beat wind _\- boar, horse, tiger, Goukakyu no Jutsu!_ Naruto released his technique, and fire and wind clashed.

It was his Sharingan that saved him. He threw himself to the ground to see Naruto flying overhead. He lashed out with his foot, catching him in his mid-section. But instead of crashing into the post, two more clones caught him, launching him at Sasuke. _Those fucking clones!_

"Gah", Sasuke grunted. Blood and spittle flew as Naruto body slammed him into the ground. He palmed a kunai and thrust it into Naruto's leg - poof! _Oh shit_ , _he switched himself with one of the support clones_. He lept up, or tried to, but two pairs of arms caught him on each side, and one more held him in a full nelson. "Yield," Naruto said, holding a kunai to his neck. He refused to meet his eyes, keeping his gaze fixed on his sternum. Sasuke struggled for a few more seconds, the hold got tighter, and he felt the cool steel of the kunai on his neck. He was breathing hard, barely able to see straight. Naruto, Naruto didn't look winded _at all_! _I'm at the end of my rope and this guy hasn't even started to tap into his reserves_. "I yield," he finally gave.

The entire spar was no more than three minutes. Kakashi slouched over to the two of them, hands in his pockets, "Well, that was interesting. I'm looking forward to this team! I'll see the three of you tomorrow, bright and early for our first real training session." He left in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke turned to leave when he heard Naruto call out, "Oi, bastard, Sakura-chan, do you guys want to get some ramen? I know a place."

* * *

Naruto couldn't keep the grin off his face. _Teammates!_ They had their issues. Sakura-chan was cute, if a little scared of him. He knew that there was a gap between him and other kids his age, but still, he didn't think it would shake her that much. She was still skittish, and even now, was walking on the other side of Sasuke.

Now Sasuke on the other hand, a complete bastard to be sure, but he had potential. Naruto had sparred a lot. The Old Man, different ANBU, the Pervy Sage. Never had he felt his heart pounding, like it was during his spar with Sasuke. Someone his own age! _Oh man oh man, I can't wait for tomorrow!_

"Hey Teuchi-san! A Naruto special please!" he called out, stepping into the stand. Sakura and Sasuke followed in, giving their own greetings.

"Naruto! These must be your new teammates huh?"

"You bet," Naruto grinned. "Teuchi-san, these are my teammates - Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke, Sakura, this is Teuchi, best ramen chef in the Land of fire!"

"Oho, you flatter me Naruto," Teuchi said.

"Don't sell yourself short," Naruto said matter-of-factly, "I've been to Tanzaku-Gai and Otafuku, and their stuff just doesn't compare!"

Their food arrived, and any conversation stalled. Naruto tried, but the atmosphere was too awkward. About halfway through his bowl, Sasuke stopped and asked, "So, Naruto, who exactly are you?"

"Eh? I'm Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto chirped.

Haha, he was messing with Sasuke, and Sasuke knew it. "Don't play the idiot," Sasuke growled. "You didn't attend the academy. You know some seriously advanced techniques. Solid clones, elemental jutsu. What you said about your clan... Who _are_ you?"

Naruto just stared at his ramen. The Hokage hadn't forbidden him from revealing anything. He just, never really had anyone to reveal anything to. All his tutors knew everything, the Pervy Sage and the Old man knew more than him. What should he say? He-

A hand clapped him on his shoulder. "Wow? My precious students getting along and sharing a meal. It's so sweet!"

"Kakashi," Sasuke started, "Naruto was about to-"

"Naruto-kun is a special kid. Quite skilled, and due to special circumstances, was given private tutoring instead of attending the academy," Kakashi interrupted.

"If we don't know anything about him, how can we work as a team," Sakura suddenly challenged. Naruto looked down embarrassed.

"You're correct Sakura. But we have the next several months. It's safe to say we'll be taking two weeks off missions, training together and getting to know one another." Kakashi sighed. "Part of teamwork is trust. Trust that Naruto will tell you about himself with time. If you give him that trust, he'll return it by trusting you with his story."

Sasuke and Sakura reluctantly agreed. Naruto mumbled his agreement. "Now," Kakashi said, scanning menu, "Naruto clearly knows his ramen. Why don't me give me your recommendation."

He immediately brightened. "Yeah, well I like miso on most days, but sometimes it's just a pork kinda day ya know, but of course beef has the most protein…" Sakura and Sasuke tuned him out, going back to their own food. Kakashi listened, smile on his face.

He couldn't tell them everything yet, but he'd get there. It was a promise of a lifetime.

 **A/N: Please review, whether you liked or disliked it. It really does go a long way!**


	3. Three

**A/N: First, I apologize for the lateness. With Thanksgiving, my schedule was hectic, pushing my publishing date back a week. My sole reviewer, thanks! Thanks also to anyone who followed the story, I hope to keep it interesting. Someone did ask about romance. It's definitely not on the cards for a while. This Naruto isn't thinking about romance, he's 13.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 - Chunin Exams Looming  
**

The first Uchiha to find him was Tekka. Sasuke was walking back to his home when Tekka waved him down. "Sasuke-nii!" he called, "coming back from morning training?".

"What do you want?" Sasuke had never been great with the kids Itachi left. Ironic that he was just as bad with kids as his late father. He just didn't have time for them. Between helping obaa-san and ojii-san balance the clan budgets, training to kill Itachi, watching out for his clan, and training to kill Itachi, he didn't have much time for the kids. But the blasted little runts kept harassing him anyways. _Sasuke-nii teach me shuriken, Sasuke-nii spar with me, Sasuke-nii show me your Sharingan_. He definitely doesn't remember being that annoying when he was a kid (somewhere in Rain country, Itachi sneezed).

"Spit it out," Sasuke added, "I haven't got all day."

"Obaa-san wants you to bring your teammates around for dinner," Tekka said.

Yeah, not happening. Ever. First, Sakura didn't need to meet his family. God forbid they actually liked her, _she'd never leave me alone!_ Naruto, if he got to the kids… yeah, he didn't want to think about the destruction they'd cause together. The last week of training had shown two things. Naruto was very skilled, but all the skills he knew caused wide-scale destruction. He liked the Uchiha compound intact, thank you very much.

"I'll ask them," Sasuke lied. Tekka took it at face value and ran off, probably sensing his mood. Sasuke made his way inside, thoughts on his blonde teammate. Naruto was special, he decided, _very_ special. He was talented, and showed that he was well-trained. Despite how he treated him, Naruto would be a good teammate, one that could help him finally defeat _that_ man.

Itachi had hamstrung the clan. All of their active shinobi were reduced to corpses. All he left were the old, infirm, and a few academy students. A proud clan of a hundred members reduced to fifteen. Sasuke was their heir and their hope. He would rise above the ashes Itachi left, and restore their clan to greatness.

* * *

Team 7, Kakashi thought, had the chance to be very good. He really was quite lucky. Naruto and Sasuke were two incredibly talented thirteen year olds, and Sakura had her strengths. But, talented individuals they were, talented individuals they were not.

With Naruto and Sasuke's talent came confidence. With confidence came the idea that they were team leader. That they should finish every battle. He could see it now. They were sparring with him as a team. Naruto went high, Sasuke low. He lept over Sasuke's extended leg, and blocked Naruto's fist, purposefully leaving himself open in the air.

"Aaaargh! You emo-bastard, that was my opening!"

"What the hell are you talking about. He blocked your strike, leaving me open for the follow up. Textbook two-on-one"

"Pssh, it doesn't count as following up if you can't even graze him," Naruto scoffed. Oh my, Sasuke wouldn't like that.

"What did you say?" Sasuke hissed.

Naruto's grin grew wider. He leaned forward, "You can be as fast as ya want with that Sharingan. Doesn't mean shit if ya can't hurt him does it?" Ah, Naruto could tell Sasuke didn't like being weaker than Naruto.

"Oh that's it! Let's go blondie-"

"Stop!", Sakura shouted, "Please stop!" Naruto and Sasuke were face to face, ready to start brawling when Sakura's shout interrupted them. "Just stop fighting for a second," Sakura said shakily. She took a deep breath, before starting again, "Sasuke-kun, Naruto-san is much stronger- just listen to me! He should use openings against larger opponents. But, Naruto-san, Sasuke-kun is right. You provided the opening, he takes it. That really _is_ basic teamwork. The issue isn't this exchange, but our fighting style in general."

Both boys looked away embarrassed. Kakashi chuckled, "My my Sakura, what an analysis. So, where do you fit into this team?" He knew exactly what Sakura would be. The only question was, did Sakura?

"Um, support?" she asked.

"Are you asking, or telling me Sakura?"

"Telling?"

Oh this girl. He'd have to spell it out for all of them. Kakashi closed his book. "Well then, here's how it's going to work. The three of you are a frontline team. Naruto and Sasuke are heavy hitters. Naruto has strength and stamina, Sasuke has speed and precision. Sakura will not only be the support, but the team leader."

He couldn't help but smile at the look on Sakura's face. "Yes, Sakura. Every academy report stressed just how smart you were. Not only are you smart, you can be impartial and keep these two idiots in line. Throw in some genjutsu for that chakra control of yours, and well, we've got a team don't we?"

The three of them looked quite determined. He knew they all had their own goals and desires. But if they could just set aside their egos, "So, the only question that's left is this: Can you find it in yourselves to come together?"

"Yes!"

"Well then, we have work to do don't we? Sasuke, Naruto, your combined fire and wind jutsu can be quite effective. Sakura, here's a genjutsu I stole a few years ago…"

* * *

Naruto sighed, again. It had been almost two hours since Kakashi-sensei's meeting time. He tried reading scrolls, and he went through some katas. But that had been thirty minutes ago, and now he was bored out of his skull. Looking over at Sasuke and Sakura, they didn't seem to be doing that much differently.

"Good morning my cute little students!" a voice chirped from above them. Sakura jumped to her feet, pointed and- did nothing. Even Sasuke looked surprised. All three of them looked at Sakura expectantly.

"Oh shut up!" she said heatedly. Her shoulders slumped, "He's going to be late whether I scream and yell or not, so might as well stop screaming and yelling."

Kakashi's smile was blinding, "That's the attitude!"

Well, enough was enough. Naruto stood up, brushing the dirt off his navy pants. Sasuke must've had the same idea. He turned to Kakashi-sensei expectantly, "Well? Can we get started?"

Kakashi hopped off the branch he was crouched on. "Well, we're not training today."

"We're not!" Naruto blurted out. "What the hell was I doing here sitting around here for two hours then?"

"Yeah!"

"Exactly!"

"Well, if that's the way it's going to be, I guess you don't want to hear about the chunin exams?" Kakashi said in a sing-song voice. Three heads snapped to abrupt attention. "Oh! So you do want to hear about then?" Kakashi drawled. Seeing that Sasuke was practically frothing at the mouth, he continued, "The chunin exams are taking place one week from today. You'll see genin from the minor outlying villages, and several from Suna. Now, I don't have to mention that these exams are dangerous. Genin die. Still, I have faith in you three. So! Take the rest of the day off, and be here bright and early tomorrow for training!"

Sasuke just grabbed his form and walked off. Sakura bowed to Kakashi, and ran off in Sasuke's direction, "Oh, Sasuke-kun!". Naruto followed to do the same, when Kakashi held his form out of his reach. "So Naruto," Kakashi began, eye narrowed, "why don't you and I have a chat?"

* * *

For minutes, Kakashi was silent. Hand stuffed in his pockets, he casually leaned against the bridge, staring up into the nothingness. Naruto copied him, leaning against the otherside, his gaze firmly fixed on the flow of the creek below him. There was really only one thing this conversation could be about, Gaara of the Desert.

"I want to say sorry, Naruto," Kakashi said, jerking Naruto out of his revery. This was definitely not what he expected from Kakashi.

"Uhh, you're forgiven?"

Kakashi chuckled weakly, "You don't really know what I'm apologizing for do you? Yes, well, your late father was my teacher. Hell, he was more like my father. Took me when my own father passed, and looked out for me until he died. And how did I repay his only living son?"

Oh. This was awkward. "Kakashi-sensei, look I, I honestly forgot about you."

" _What?_ "

Ok, now Naruto was only making the situation worse. So, damage control. "It's not that I forgot about you, so much as I didn't have time to. On my sixth birthday, the Old Man met with me on the Hokage monument…

* * *

 _"Hey Old Man!" Naruto called running up the stairs to the monument. "We gonna get some ramen soon? Can't wait I'm starving-oof!" Naruto had tripped on the last step, and fallen hard. He scrambled to his feet, looking down at his now ruined kimono. "Oops…"_

 _The Third Hokage laughed, "Always an excitable one aren't you Naruto?"_

 _Naruto pouted, "S'nothing wrong with that. It's my birthday ya know! I can do whatever I want, and no one can say a thing! That's what Haruko-nee said."_

 _"Well, Haruka-san might not think so when she finds how you've ruined your special birthday kimono."_

 _Naruto paled. He immediately started to pat down his clothes desperately, trying to wish away the dirt. The Hokage only laughed harder. "Don't worry Naruto, I'll tell Haruka-san it was an accident," he said wiping away a tear. "Anyways, I'm sure you want to know why I called you up here - and no, it wasn't to get ramen, at least not immediately."_

 _The Old Man had gotten really serious then. Even at six years old, Naruto knew when to be serious. This was one of those moments._

 _"... and so, your father sealed the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox into you. He trusted you with an immense responsibility." Naruto's head was spinning. His vision darkened at the edges, and his chest tightened. His breathing came out in harsh gasps, and he fell to his knees._

 _A wrinkled hand grasped his shoulder. "Look at me Naruto, look at me" - Naruto looked up and tried his best to focus on the Old Man's warm brown eyes. "Just breathe Naruto - that's it. In, and out. That's it."_

 _A few minutes later, Naruto shakily tried to stand up, but he collapsed on his backside. "Why, why did my father choose me?" he croaked._

 _The Old Man pulled a pipe out of his robes. Flipping through a few one-handed signals, he shot a spark from his mouth. Once the pip lit, he took a deep pull. "That answer is two-fold Naruto. The first, is that for better or worse, the Nine-Tails is your heritage. Before you bore this burden it was your mother, and before her, it was her great-aunt, Senju Mito, who was formerly Uzumaki Mito before her marriage. The Uzumaki clan's vitality, and special chakra, makes them uniquely suited to be hosts. Even if the birth went perfectly, it's probable that one of your children or grandchildren would have been picked to be the next host."_

 _Didn't he have any choice at all? The loneliness, the isolation, lack of interaction, all because he was born to the right, or perhaps wrong people?_

 _"The other reason Naruto? Minato could never ask anything of anyone he wouldn't do himself. He could never ask another couple for their child if he wouldn't seal the fox inside of his own."_

* * *

"... and from there, it was constant training, personal tutors, and a a couple of training missions. There wasn't a lot of time to dig into my father's past ya know. Any time I had for self-pity was spent thinking about my father's decision."

Kakashi let out a slow breath, "That doesn't really sound like a fun childhood. Do you resent sensei for that?"

Naruto scuffed the ground with his sandal. He considered his words carefully. He knew that Kakashi really looked up to his father. A lot of their future relationship could depend on this answer. "I don't know. I've been thinking about that question for six years. If you asked me on my sixth birthday, I would have said yes. Back then, I equated my father's sealing as the cause for my lack of birthday parties. So, yeah, I hated him. But now? I understand my duty to the village, I'm honored that my dad entrusted me with this responsibility. But still, a last part of me is still that six year old, upset going _why me?_ "

The two of them fell silent after that. "Hey Naruto," Kakashi-sensei started, "whatever happened in the past, let's leave it there. I truly am sorry I couldn't be there for you before, but I hope to be there for you now."

Naruto smiled, "That sounds great to me sensei."

Kakashi pushed himself off the railing. "Now, why don't we go get some lunch, and you can tell me about your plans for dealing with your secondary mission."

Naruto groaned while trudging through the streets of Konoha. It had been one full month since he joined team seven. Kakashi had really been pushing them hard, especially in combination attacks. How to combine his wind with Sasuke's fire, moving underneath Sakura-chan's genjutsu, using his clones to overwhelm weaker opponents with numbers. It was exhausting. Considering his independent preparation for the chunin exams, he felt like a zombie. Looking left at Sakura, she looked just as bad. Or maybe that was because the emo bastard rejected her for the umpteenth time.

"Hey! Naruto-niichan! Wait up!"

 _Oh no, please not right now._ He started walking faster. Sakura kept pace with him,"Hey, why are we speeding up - and isn't someone calling you - hey, wait up Naruto!"

Maybe if he turned the corner he'd escape, he could see Ichiraku ahead, _just a bit further_ -

"Hey!" Konohamaru shouted grabbing at his jacket, "don't try and get away, you promised to play ninja with me!"

 _Damn it, I did_. He turned around and gave Konohamaru and gave him a pleading look. "Please Konohamaru," he begged,"I can barely see straight. I'm so tired. Just let your super awesome niichan go this time-"

"That's what you said last time! And the time before that! I brought Udon and Moegi, and they can't wait to meet my _super awesome niichan_ ". Konohamaru finished sarcastically.

"Oh yeah brat-"

" _Hem. hem._ " Sakura coughed delicately. "It's not polite to keep a lady waiting you know."

Konohamuru narrowed his eyes. "Thing is, I don't see any ladies here. All I see is a fl- _hmmghk argksj_!"

Seeing a vein in Sakura's face start to throb, Naruto slipped a hand around Konohamaru's mouth. "Do you _want_ to die you moron!" Naruto hissed. Looking back up at Sakura he tried to laugh it off, "Heh heh Saukra-chan. Konohamaru, Sakura-chan, my new teammate."

"Naruto, do you now the brat's parents? If he keeps running his mouth, I'm going to need to teach him a lesson," Sakura asked.

By this point, Konohamaru had bitten the hand covering his mouth. "I'm the Third's Grandson, so you can't do shit to me you pink haired harpy!" Making a grotesque face, Konohamaru lept out of Naruto's arms, and took off down a side street.

"Why, you!"

"Hey, Konohamaru, wait up!"

Naruto hurried to catch up with the four of them. Hearing another shout, he faulted across a fence and-

"Hey! Let me go!"

A tall kid, who didn't look that much older than him, was holding a struggling Konohamaru by the neck. He wore all black, and a hood with cat-like ears. His face was covered in carefully drawn face paint. His attire and the cloth covered bundle on his back meant he was probably one of Suna's puppeteers. Next to him was an older girl with sandy hair pulled back into several ponytails. She had a large fan strapped to her back. Sakura stood across from them, looking ready for a fight.

Naruto sidled up next to her. "What the hell happened?" he whispered to her. Sakura didn't answer her, instead addressing the two from Suna. "He's a kid, he made a mistake, let him go!" Sakura shouted.

"Hmph!" the boy snorted, "I don't know about you leaf softies, but in Suna, kids are held responsible for their actions."

"Leaf softie! Why don't you come over here and I'll show you what a softie I am!"

"Hey now," Naruto said waving his hands, "why don't we all calm down. Suna-nin, keep in mind, that's the Hokage's grandson."

The girl blanched. "Hey Kankuro, maybe you should just let the kid go," she murmured. "It's not worth starting an international incident over nothing."

"I'm not going to actually maim the brat Temari." He leered at Konohamaru, "I'm just going to teach him a lesson he's not going to forget. Besides, our dad's the Kazekage, what's the worst that's going to happen?"

Clearly, neither diplomacy or violence was going to solve anything here. All that left was fear. Feeling out his seal, he drew a drop of the Nine-Tails' chakra, and projected his killing intent. "Hey Suna-nin, may be I was being too nice the first time. I said, **let. him. go"**

The two of them froze, faces pale. "Y-y-you're like him. G-Gaara."

Kankurou's hand had loosened, but Konohamaru was still trapped. Rather than make them release him, it seemed the two of them were frozen stiff. There was a short whistle, and a rock hit Kankurou's hand, forcing him to let go. "Didn't you hear my teammate?" Sasuke said from atop a nearby tree branch.

 _Of course it's that emo-bastard. Do all the work, have him reap the reward and look cool._ Konohamaru came running back and lept into Naruto's arms. "Nii-chan you were so scary," Konohamaru sobbed.

Turning back to the two sand-nin, he found a third joining them. The shortest of the three, with dark-red hair, and bloodshot eyes, Gaara of the Desert looked every bit the monster he was. When he spoke, his voice was soft, emotionless, "The two of you are a disgrace." Facing the three of them, he bowed, "I apologize for my siblings' action. We will not be causing any more trouble here."

"Good," Sakura said firmly, "We may be allies, but that doesn't mean you can hurt leaf citizens."

"You," Gaara said pointing at Naruto and Sasuke, "what're your names?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Uzumaki Naruto, and Sasuke Uchiha. I look forward to facing the two of you in the upcoming exams," he replied. His entire visage grew manic. "Mother looks forward to tasting your blood."

* * *

 **A/N: So, the longest chapter to date! We're finally through the prelude, and we're moving into the first Arc, the Chunin Exams. I'm really excited because while I'm keeping the same exam format, I plan to change a lot of the events. The main antagonist here is Gaara, and only Gaara. I never liked the Sasuke Betrayal Arc, and hated how his character finished the series. So, this is my shot to change that.**

 **We also get a first look at Naruto using the Kyuubi's chakra. He's frankly well trained, well taught, and can control portions of the Nine-Tails. He's going to be pulling out all the stops here in the Chunin Exams, and we're going to see the full scope of his abilities, from jutsus to sealing. As always! Please review. Even if it's anonymous, I love getting them!**


	4. Four

Naruto of the Nine-Tails

By

Patil-Triplet

 **A/N: Thanks again for all those that liked/followed/reviewed on Ch 3. This is the start of the chunin exams arc. I'm planning on writing the series arc by arc. I do have an idea for an end somewhat marked out, but I want to make sure that if I leave you hanging, it'll be after I finish an arc.**

 **Chapter 4: The First Exam**

* * *

It was five AM, and Uzumaki Naruto's eyes snapped open. Like usual, he made his way out to one of the training grounds in the Sarutobi compound. He took his time stretching today. The Chunin exams were in four hours, and he needed to be in peak condition. He started his katas, flowing smoothly from one position to the next. As usual, his mind wandered.

His first real mission on his own. His first encounter with another jinchuriki. There weren't any training wheels. The village asked him to do his duty, like his mother and Mito-sama before him. All that was left, was for him to execute.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke sat on the pier, legs swinging into the small lake below. He knew the final exam was usually held in the colosseum in downtown Konoha. If he made it there, his clan would be out in force to support him. It had been four and a half years ago that his father taught him the grand fireball, here on this lake. _As expected, you are my son_.

 _Mother, Father, the rest of the clan, watch me. Watch me as I conquer another milestone. And Itachi…. I know you're out there. I'm coming for you, and I'll kill you for how you crippled our clan._

* * *

Haruno Sakura sat in the middle of her bed, legs crossed, back straight, and eyes closed. One of genjutsu's core requirements was the ability to visualize the illusion the user intends to project. Meditation would help with that. For the last two months, Sakura had spent each morning in meditation. She would play entire scenes in her head, applying genjutsu, and playing the reaction. Already the results were showing. Her genjutsu was faster and smoother. Formations where Naruto and Sasuke would attack with her genjutsu as support were getting easier.

There was a knock on her door. "Sakura, honey?" Her mother's voice was slightly muffled, "breakfast is ready and your father's already downstairs. You've got a big day ahead"

Both her parents were career genin. Her father had just recently taken an administrative position as a chunin. Neither had managed to pass their jounin-sensei's test. In fact, they had met while serving in the genin corps. Just by being on Kakashi-sensei's team, she had already gone further than any other family member before her. And now, now she was poised to go further. She had two incredible teammates, a good - if flaky - sensei, and the world was their's to take. She leaped off the bed. She buckled her weapons pouch to her waist, and adjusted her headband one last time. "Coming mom!"

* * *

Hatake Kakashi leaned against the railing of the academy's roof, lone eye locked on the Hokage monument. In a few short hours, the chunin exams would start in the building below. His team was ready, he knew that, but he was still anxious.

The one month had done wonders for the three's teamwork. Naruto had never really fought with two others before. Considering his ability, he felt like he had to do all the heavy lifting. Sasuke had never truly been exposed to a shinobi his age that was more talented than he was. It took time for him to understand new role, and even more time to accept it. Sakura needed to assert herself more. Between her crush on Sasuke, and Naruto's obvious talent, she had shrank back, allowing the two of them to bicker and lead. It took the whole month for her to realize that she was a vital cog to this team, and her asserting her leadership would only help the team further.

He had hoped for more time. If the Hokage kept this team together, it had a chance to be truly special. He had beaten some rudimentary formations into them, but all of that break down in the heat of real battle, especially the second test.

The last thing to consider was Naruto's mission. He had seen Naruto go all out. The boy could easily take on most chunin. If he drew on Kyuubi's chakra, he could probably even give a few weaker jounin some trouble. Still, he worried for him, especially with what this mission would do to his psyche. He locked eyes with his sensei's face. _Sensei, I've done all I can… will it be enough?_

* * *

The three of them planned to meet outside the academy before entering the actual exam hall. An ANBU operative had dropped off a file with the chunin exam information last night. He had sent two shadow clones off to Sakura and Sasuke, with instructions to meet before the exam. He was the first one there, so he plopped down in the shade of the academy building.

Knowing that Gaara had marked Sasuke for who-know's-what troubled him. He was hoping to simply make his way through the first two tests, and face Gaara in the 3rd exam. Now, it looked like he could try and ambush them in the Forest of Death.

"-ey! Naruto," Sakura snapped several times in front of his face,"where's your mind at. I've been trying to get your attention for a minute now!"

"Hehe, sorry Sakura-chan!" Naruto said, "Just lost in thought."

Sakura huffed, "Yeah, well, Sasuke's here too." Indeed, Sasuke was two blocks away, gracefully leaping from rooftop to rooftop. "I got your shadow clone. What did you mean by 'I know the tasks'?"

Naruto stood up and dusted himself down just as Sasuke dropped in front of the two of them. "I got your clone Naruto," Sasuke said,"what did you mean by 'I know the tasks'?"

"Yeah, not here. Let's find somewhere more private," Naruto said.

He led the three of them out behind the academy building. As soon as they had some relative privacy, he handed Sasuke and Sakura two scrolls each. Holding the red scroll up, Naruto said, "The one capped in red is medical supplies. Soldier pills, bandages, paste, etc." Now holding the other, "The other is extra supplies. I threw in a standard pair of navy fatigues, water purification tablets, and ration bars. We're going to need all of these for the second exam."

Sasuke and Sakura both took the scrolls. Sasuke looked up, eyes narrowed, "How do you know all this?" Naruto swallowed. He'd held off on telling the truth for a while now. But, he at least owed them this, "I have a second mission. It's during the third exam, so it's incredibly important that I make it there. It's not fair, I know, but I have the information on the first two exams to make sure I get there. That reminds me," Naruto took a third scroll from this pouch, "you have five minutes to memorize the nine answers for the first exam. After that, I'm going to destroy this."

* * *

The three of them were on the second floor when they encountered a crowd milling around. "Hey, did I miss something, but aren't we only on second floor?", Naruto whispered.

"No, you're not wrong," Sakura responded slowly,"we're only on the second floor. So why does that say-"

"301?," Sasuke finished. His sharingan activated. The door-sign was bathed in chakra. "Genjutsu, that's why."

Naruto took a second to look at the two ninjas standing in front of the wrong door. Then he took a look at the large crowd and all the ruckus it was creating. He gestured at the open window to his left. "Let's go out and around. No need to create extra competition." The three of them drew open the window. Naruto was about to climb out when a loud voice interrupted them.

"Uchiha Sasuke! I challenge you!" A genin their age had taken advantage of their silence to leap in between Sasuke and Sakura. He was dressed like a caricature. Tight green bodysuit capped with leg and arm warmers. Wide brown eyes, and possibly the thickest eyebrows Naruto had ever seen. "I, Rock Lee, would like to prove my hard work against one they call a genius. As my master before me, I declare you my eternal rival!"

This entire time, Sasuke stood motionless, his sharingan still spinning. "I can never unsee that", he whispered.

Naruto decided to go ahead and save the poor sod. "Say Lee, is your sensei Might Guy? The er, what was it again, Sublime Green Beast?"

Lee, if possible, looked even more eager. Eyes shining, he shouted, "Yes indeed! My sensei is indeed the Sublime Green Beast of Konoha! And I know you three are the students of his eternal rival, Hatake Kakashi! That is why I wish to-"

"Right!", Naruto hastily interrupted,"That's why I don't think it's right any one of us spar now. We can, um, promise to make it to the third exam. And then, uh, we can fight in front of Konoha, and prove to everyone how awesome our teachers are." He really, really hoped that would work. Lee seemed like a reasonable, if eager, guy.

Lee had his head down, shoulders shaking. _Did I go too far?_ _Is he, is he laughing?_ Lee finally lifted his head, showing tears streaming down his face. "Naruto-san, the flames of youth burn brightly in you! We shall indeed meet in the third exam! Then, we shall show the world who is a better sensei, and student!" He turned and raced off through the door reading 301.

Naruto let out a sigh. Now with Lee gone, he put a foot outside the window, when another voice interrupted them,"Just where do you think you're going?" It was one of the two men in front of the fake entrance. Lee's commotion had attracted the attention of every other genin standing around.

Next to him, Sasuke snorted,"You can drop the genjutsu. We were going to sneak around, but why bother? Clearly all of you hear are useless if you can't even recognize the genjutsu."

 _What the hell?_ "What the hell Sasuke!", Naruto hissed, "What happened to keeping a low profile?"

"Well that went straight out the window when that freak decided to challenge for the whole room to hear. At this point, our best play is to intimidate the lot of them."

Every single genin in the room was glaring at them, or more specifically, at Sasuke. "Right", Naruto muttered, "you _reeally_ intimidated them."

* * *

Nara Shikamaru really didn't want to be here. But, between Ino and his mother, it was never really had a choice to begin with. He, Chouji, and Ino had arrived early and them moved to the far back, away from prying eyes. Still only half-full, there must have been at least a 150 genin in the room already. Man, he _really_ didn't want to be here.

Next to him, Ino was bouncing on the balls of her feet, "Where are they? You think forehead chickened out?"

"Ah relax Ino", Chouji said between bites, "you know how it is, Sasuke probably wants to make a dramatic entrance. Chip?" He extended the bag towards Ino, who swatted it away with a " _Diet_ Chouji"

As if he heard himself called, Sasuke and his team chose that moment to enter the room. Sakura let the trio, while Sasuke hung back, arguing with a blonde kid. " _Oh Sasuke-kun~"_ , Ino trilled taking off towards them. "Did you miss me~"

Sasuke looked as though he just bit into a lemon. He sent the blonde he'd been arguing with a look just screaming 'Help me!', but he snickered and moved away. So this was their new teammate.

He was about their height, dressed in a bright orange vest over standard navy fatigues. He extended a had towards the both of them, "Uzumaki Naruto! You guys can call me Naruto. Nice to meetcha!"

"Akamichi Chouji, feel free to call me Chouji," Chouji said, grasping the hand, "and lazybones here is Nara Shikamaru"-Shikamaru raised a hand and led it drop back down to his side-"Chip?"

"Ah thanks! I love barbeque." He looked Shikamaru up and down, "Say, any relation to Nara Shikaku? You're a dead-ringer, ya know, without the beard and scars."

He knew his dad? "Ah, yeah. Shikaku's my old man."

Naruto grinned, "Cool, he's a good guy. Hey Chouji, I've been to an Akamichi barbeque before. The food was top notch. Ever think about opening up a ramen stand?" Naruto and Chouji peeled off to debate the merits of ramen versus barbeque.

Ino sidled up to him, finished with her contest with Sakura, "I've never seen that kid around have you? I definitely don't remember him attending the academy."

"Neither do I. Plus, he knows my dad. He's quite the mystery, Uzumaki Naruto."

Ino looked him up and down once. "A pretty cute mystery."

"Yoo hoo!" A voice called from behind them. Kiba and the rest of Team 8 came up to them. "Looks like all of us rookies are here- wait, who the hell are you?"

"Uzumaki Naruto! Nice to meetcha. Oh woah, I didn't know you were going to be here Hinata-chan!" Well, wasn't that something.

"Hey, you know this guy Hinata?" Kiba asked.

Hinata blushed and looked downwards. "A-ah, Naruto-kun and I had a few playdates as kids. When our clan heads would meet, his caretaker would watch over the two of us."

"I didn't know there was an Uzumaki clan," Shikamaru interjected.

"Ah. There once _was_. I'm one of the last at this point, but, it was the Sarutobi clan that took me in."

Shikamaru couldn't help but be intrigued. One look at Ino told a similar story. She was leaning forward, eyes sharp, hanging onto every word of the conversation.

"-old man Hokage said he knew my parents ya know. So he was nice enough to take me in and all. I live out with them in their compound. First with his son, and then when I was 10, I got my own little place in the corner."

"You guys are making a lot of noise for rookies." A Konoha genin that looked to be several years older than them walked up with a smile. "I'm just saying, I've taken the exam a few times, and no one who draws that much attention to themselves succeeds."

Kiba bristled, "Oh yeah? If you've taken it a few times, you clearly haven't passed it a few times. Who says we should listen to you?"

"Come on now-'

" _Kiba-kun!_ "

"Kiba, that's too far-"

"He's not wrong you know."

Sasuke who had stayed silent since entering the room finally spoke up. "He was rude about it, but, who says you aren't just looking to rattle us?"

The older genin chucked, "If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself." He threw an arm out wide, and stepped out of our sight. The entire room was filled with glaring men and women. Clearly being much younger, and having the audacity to be this cavalier didn't sit well with them.

"Aw shit, we really can't keep a low profile can we?" Naruto muttered.

"Shut up and get to your seats brats!" A tall, hulking, bear of a man appeared in a puff of smoke. "I am Morino Ibiki, and the examiner for the first stage of the exam. Let's begin!"

 **A/N: Surprise! You're not actually seeing the first exam. Why? Mostly because it would have been a regurgitation of the manga chapter. There was no real deviation from that part. It was mostly about Naruto meeting the rest of the kids from the Konoha 12, as well as establishing some backstory. If you're curious about what Naruto is going to do, I hinted at it earlier. Naruto wasn't meant to participate in the exams. He's supposed to be a ringer, there to face Gaara. Because of that, he has help. He was provided with the answers to the first exam, to make sure he and his team advanced. Unfair? Sure. But that's just the way the world works some time.**


End file.
